Dress Watches · Page 4

Introducing – Sylvain Pinaud Unveils the new Tourbillon 30-Second

Independent watchmaker Sylvain Pinaud launched his first timepiece, a monopusher chronograph, in 2018, followed by the Origin, a time-only watch, in 2021. Over the past few years, his work has earned recognition with connoisseurs and within the watchmaking industry, with several awards at the prestigious GPHG. For the 2026 Geneva Watch Week, it is time […]

Sylvain Pinaud Returns with 30-Second Tourbillon

With wind in his sails following the successful Origine series, independent watchmaker Sylvain Pinaud returns with his most ambitious project yet, the succinctly named Tourbillon. The watch looks and feels a lot like its time-only predecessor, but the movement is in fact completely different, with twin mainspring barrels and a fast-rotating 30-second tourbillon. The Tourbillon in platinum with a white agate dial. Initial thoughts Appetite remains strong for high-end time-only watches, but the leading independents are increasingly leaving simplicity behind and treating their collectors to additional complications. Mr Pinaud’s Tourbillon exemplifies this shift. Despite the greater complexity of its movement, the Tourbillon is no larger than the simpler Origine. In fact, it’s about 1 mm smaller in diameter. That’s impressive considering it fits an extra mainspring barrel and adds a zero-reset seconds functionality to its namesake tourbillon. This latter functionality - specifically its heart cam - is on full display through an opening in the running seconds sub-dial at nine o’clock. But its the 30-second tourbillon that gives the watch its name, and which warrants special scrutiny. Fast-rotating tourbillons - which rotate more quickly than once per minute - are quite rare. They require more energy and greater care in assembly, since they almost invariably use lighter components. In the case of the Tourbillon, the slender three-armed cage is made of titanium, r...

Konstantin Chaykin’s ThinKing Mystery Turns Ultra Thin Watchmaking Into Something More

Franc Vila’s FVF2 Time & Day is Quirky Haute Horlogerie

FVF Genève’s second model after the FVF1 skeleton tourbillon, the FVF2 Intrepido Time & Day is a more concise and accessible watch. It’s essentially a familiar formula – time (plus day) and a hand-finished manual wind movement – the FVF2 nonetheless manages to stand out thanks to brand founder Franc Vila’s eye for design. Pictured here with a black mother of pearl dial, part of a five-piece edition, the FVF2 has a pleasing asymmetry. The movement is composed of intriguing geometric forms and quirky details like the square winding click, while also being traditionally decorated with generous bevelling and black polishing. The case is an unusual “unibody” construction where the base plate and case middle are one and the same Initial thoughts The FVF2 might seem like yet another time-only watch with a fancily decorated movement, and it is just that, but not quite. Its creator, Franc Vila, is an industry veteran rather than a newcomer, and is now making a comeback after rising and falling with his original brand some two decades ago. Unlike many recent calibres that try to do more with more, the FVF2 movement is more minimalist but has a recognisable style and artful details. The calibre is characterised by geometric forms that encompass finer elements like the winding click, while also retaining a clear classical bent with the prominent going train and finishing. The treatment for the titanium base plate requires superheated gases to create an oxide layer on t...

Hands-on – The New, Blue-Toned Greubel Forsey Balancier 3 in Titanium

Greubel Forsey has always been synonymous with highly complex, intensely finished movements presented as three-dimensional mechanical sculptures. In recent years, the brand has explored a slightly more “restrained” yet modern approach with models like the Balancier S and, more recently, the Balancier 3 introduced in 2023. The time-only Balancier 3 retained the brand’s signature depth […]

Up Close: Rexhep Rexhepi Chronograph Flyback RRCHF

Akrivia founder Rexhep Rexhepi’s latest creation is the first complication solely under his own name, the Rexhep Rexhepi Chronograph Flyback (RRCHF). Very much embodying his defining style both in terms of aesthetics and execution, the RRCHF nonetheless illustrates the evolution of his approach to watchmaking, particularly in the subtle, fine details of the movement. With a three-register layout that brings to mind historical pocket watches, the RRCHF has a fired enamel with a modern twist in the form of sapphire counters. The movement, on the other hand, reflects Mr Rexhepi’s love of symmetry and fine decoration, while also incorporating a useful bonus in the form of an instantaneously jumping minute register. Initial thoughts After having enjoyed unparalleled success with his time-only creations – exceptionally elaborate but still three hands – Mr Rexhepi is executing a plan he has long talked about: realising his interpretation of the important complications in watchmaking. The RRCCHF is perhaps only the start of the plan, but it is a magnificent chronograph. Conceptually, it is similar to one of the great chronographs, the Lange Datograph, but sans date. While the Datograph, way back in 1999, sought to essentially replicate the intricacy of a pocket watch movement with elaborate exaggeration, the RRCHF is clearly a modern creation, yet imbued with numerous traditional and historical elements. The overall style is now familiar; it echoes the design of the Chrono...

Buying Guide – Slimming Things Down Part II – Ultra-Thin Watchmaking, On A (Relative) Budget

Last week’s Buying Guide on some of the finest ultra-thin watches on the market today might have posed a bit of a challenge in hindsight, which we’re going to address in this week’s instalment. You see, when compiling these lists, we look for watches that fit a specific theme. A certain complication, case shapes or […]

Zach Weiss Launches OraOrea with the Coriolis Pointer Date

With the debut of Zach Starr Weiss’s OraOrea comes the introduction of the Coriolis Pointer Date. Having founded Worn & Wound in 2011 and the Windup Watch Fair in 2015, Mr Weiss brings an enthusiast’s eye and and insider’s perspective to his own brand. Initial thoughts An industrial designer before founding Worn & Wound, Brooklyn-based Zach Starr Weiss has put his experience to work with the launch of his own brand, OraOrea, which translates loosely as ‘golden hour.’ The debut model, the Coriolis Pointer Date, features its namesake complication alongside several clever and expensive details, including solid 18k gold hemispheres on the dial, and curved seconds and minutes hands. I got to see the watch ahead of its debut and the quality of the dial finishing is evident. The design is arguably a bit crowded - a time-only variant would help with that - but the three-dimensionality of the design helps keep things interesting. The case checks all the boxes for a go-anywhere, do-anything-style watch, with a 38.5 mm stainless steel case rated to 100 m, despite a standard push/pull crown. The robustness of the case may seem like overkill, but Mr Weiss rightly understands that there’s a segment of passionate collectors for whom 100 m is the bare minimum for a watch intended for daily wear. Intricate dial The dial is notable for its massive laser-cut and hand-polished index, which encircles the dial. This so-called ‘oscillating index’ features alternately spaced R...

Konstantin Chaykin Unveils the ThinKing Mystery

Konstantin Chaykin unveils the ultimate version of his ultra-thin opus, the ThinKing Mystery. A 12-piece limited edition that refines the ideas from his original prototype, the ThinKing has reached maturity. The fact that Mr Chaykin achieved this without the help of big-budget research and developments facilities is a testament to the Moscow-based watchmaker’s technical prowess. The thoughtful process of updating the ThinKing platform prior to commercialisation speaks highly of his engineering rigour. Initial thoughts We covered the first ThinKing prototype when it launched two years ago in the fall of 2024. The timepiece remains to this day the world’s thinnest mechanical watch, measuring just 1.65 mm from top to case back. A staggering 1.65 mm thickness. The ThinKing implemented a number of interesting mechanical choices and made some compromises to fit an entire timekeeper to fit in a meagre 1.65 mm-thick space. Like other ultra-thin record-chasers, the case doubles as the movement mainplate, making the ThinKing, in a sense, a raw movement bound to a strap. To reduce the height of the oscillator, its components were spread out horizontally. The barrel was rethought to incorporate a click wheel inside the mainspring arbour, shaving precious height. The first prototype was cheating a little too, since it could not be set or wound without a separate docking module called the Palanking. Compared to other ultra-thin watches, which require (at most) a pen-like winding and...

Stéphane Pierre’s Inaugural L’Impétrant is Bi-Retrograde

A new independent voice emerges with the L’Impétrant, the debut watch from Stéphane Pierre, combining a bi-retrograde time display with an architecturally distinctive movement. Put together by an all-star roster of specialists, the L’Impétrant is a fresh take on a familiar format. Initial thoughts The central question with any debuting independent is whether ambition matches execution. Stéphane Pierre’s L’Impétrant is quirky and eccentric - and just as importantly seems well made thanks to the efforts of some 20 contributing specialists across fields such as movement construction, machining, electroplating, stamping and finishing. Given the evergreen popularity of the high-end, time-only format, it may well find its audience. The L’Impétrant’s visual staple is a set of enormous 19 mm retrograde hands - one for the minutes and the other for the hours. The bi-retrograde complication is no longer uncommon, but The L’Impétrant’s overlapping arrangement of the hands, and the luxurious construction of the mechanism, is unusual, helping it stand out within this niche. The mastermind behind the L’Impétrant has had an unusual career. Stéphane Pierre originally trained as a mechanical engineer and, intriguingly, has spent time working for both the Swatch Group and in the military sector. The L’Impétrant is essentially a very high-end time-only watch, and as such it enters a crowded market. However, rather than just developing a basic time-only watch...

Introducing – Kiwame Tokyo Launches its Third Chapter, the Accessible MUNE Series

A fairly new brand from Japan with the goal of delivering “honest watchmaking from Asakusa” and “affordable Japanese watches,” Kiwame Tokyo has made quite some noise with its first two releases, the Kurotsuki and Usuki models as its inaugural pieces, and the IWAO Field series at the end of last year. Mixing vintage Calatrava elements, […]

Heinrich Continues to Expand their Radiance Line with the “Wave”

Heinrich, the German brand that as of late has specialized in elaborate, machine finished dials in an array of bright colors (all set inside impeccably machined and finished cases) has just released the latest in their ongoing Radiance collection. The Guilloche Wave follows the Guilloche Swirl and the original Radiance, and continues to carve out the brand’s dress watch catalog. This is a somewhat unlikely turn for Heinrich, a brand that prior to the Radiance was primarily known for their modern tool watches. It’s been interesting to see how they’ve adapted easily to current trends for classical finishing with a contemporary twist, and creative use of materials, both design tenets that have always been readily observable under the surface at Heinrich, but seem to have found a moment in these last few years.  If you’re familiar with recent versions of the Radiance, the new Guilloche Wave will not exactly appear groundbreaking, but it does offer a new option for enthusiasts who either missed out on prior editions or simply want a dial with a more traditional guilloche execution. The Guilloche Wave has, you guessed it, a wave-like guilloche pattern emanating from the dial’s center. It’s interrupted by a lightly textured and rather small subsidiary seconds register at 6:00, and ends at a chapter ring surrounding the dial’s perimeter. The hour markers on these watches are not discussed enough – they’re applied and have a distinctive series of vertical lines r...

Seiko’s Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon is Ultra-Thin and Engraved

Exhibiting at Watches & Wonders in Geneva for the first time, Seiko’s high-end marque Credor is rolling out the Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon Engraved (ref. GBCF997). While the latest Credor is only a cosmetic variation of an existing model, but the latest Goldfeather Tourbillon is nonetheless a top-of-the-line model in both technical and decorative terms: the ultra-slim movement features a tourbillon, while the dial and movement are hand engraved. The hand-engraved cal. 6850 Initial thoughts Though this year’s Goldfeather Tourbillon is identical to last year’s edition save for decor, it looks strikingly different, underlining the different decorative techniques employed. While last year’s model was ornate and figurative, the latest version is clean and almost monochromatic. The lack of colour belies the complexity of the dial decoration. The entire dial is engraved, right down to the radial graining. Instead of conventional brushing, the radial pattern is achieved with a manual engraving technique. The stylistic different continues onto the movement, which is equally finely decorated, and also impressively slim. While the strength of the artisanal execution and ultra-thin watchmaking are obvious, the Goldfeather Tourbillon is fundamentally a facelift to a movement that’s been around for a long time. To go as far as its sister brand Grand Seiko, Credor would have to do something more novel. Fine lines The Goldfeather Tourbillon Engraved is self descriptive: it i...

Cleguer Debuts with Proprietary ‘Innate’ Escapement

In the run-up to Watches & Wonders, a new crop of emergent independents is making its debut. But even within a crowded field, the Cleguer Inspiration One manages to stand out with an ambitious proprietary escapement and clever construction. It’s a promising start for founder Mathieu Cleguer, an engineer who’s had a hand in developing several calibres for well-known independent brands. Initial thoughts The artisanal, highly finished time-only watch is a well-worn trope among independents, but occasionally one breaks from the pattern. The Inspiration One from Cleguer Horology is one such watch. Mathieu Cleguer is an industry veteran who has worked as a movement construction consultant and now produces watches under his own name. The opening salvo in what is planned to be a larger ‘Inspiration’ series designed to explore alternative escapements, the Inspiration One is built around the so-called innate escapement, a fresh twist on Breguet’s natural escapement. The system is Mathieu Cleguer’s own design, and from initial analysis it exhibits a surprising degree of ingenuity and is original in its execution. Discreet signature on the interior bezel. The open design - an off-centre dial with exposed escapement - is a familiar arrangement among independents, but the delicacy of the components gives it a refined quality. The 38.5 mm case is well-proportioned, though the 12 mm height borders on tall. While there’s room to develop a more cohesive design language goi...

Introducing – Credor Goldfeather Urushi Lacquer Dial Limited Edition GBBY967

Although Grand Seiko is now firmly established on the international watch scene, Credor is still something of a niche brand. Founded in 1974 as the high-end division of Seiko Corporation, with a focus on refined, ultra-thin dress watches decorated with artisanal techniques, Credor was originally available only in Japan until the release of the Locomotive […]

Introducing – Credor Goldfeather Tourbillon Engraved Limited Edition GBCF997

Founded in 1974, Credor is Seiko’s high-end brand created to showcase Japanese haute horlogerie, artistic finishing and ultra-thin watchmaking. Originally exclusive to Japan, Credor began its international expansion in 2024 with the launch of the Locomotive model, a watch originally designed by Genta, and will consolidate its position as it will soon be exhibited at […]

Revisiting The IWC Pilot’s Watch 41 Automatic TOP GUN Editions Review

In a slimmer 41mm case size, the time-only versions of IWC Schaffhausen’s TOP GUN Editions are great daily watches. We went hands-on with each to see which was the favourite! What We Love The white ceramic on the Lake Tahoe is super fresh. The size and lighter weight make these very easy-to-wear watches Both rubber straps are comfortable, and each has nice design touches. What We Don’t The Mojave Desert can blend into your skin depending on your skin type  The anti-reflective coating on the slightly domed crystal does make it hard to take a good photo! The luminescence on the hands and dial could be better and of a higher grade. Overall Rating: 8.9 / 10 Value for Money: 9/10 Wearability: 9/10 Design: 9/10 Build Quality: 8.5/10 This article was originally published as IWC Pilot’s Watch 41 Automatic TOP GUN Editions Review First Impressions When I first saw the white Lake Tahoe Pilot’s Watch 41 Top Gun earlier this year, I was keen to get both it and the Mojave Desert model to compare them properly. My initial impression? They’re essentially the same watch, just in different colourways, with the Mojave on a fabric-inlaid rubber strap and the Lake Tahoe on straight rubber. But sometimes, that slight aesthetic difference makes all the impact, as I was to find out! The Lake Tahoe feels fresh and bold. With its all-white case and strap against a black dial, it jumps off the wrist. The Mojave Desert, with its sand-coloured case, strap, and matching indices on a gre...

Baltic Introduces the Heures du Monde Worldtimer, with Three Stone Dial Options

When we last checked in on Baltic, they were retiring one of their most popular lines, at least for the time being, with a diamond set version of their MR dress watch. It felt like an appropriate send off for the MR, which I think will be remembered as the release that put the watch world on notice that Baltic was capable of executing in categories other than purely sporty vintage inspired designs. The fact that the last MR prominently features Moissanite stones really reflects the path Baltic finds themselves on now, stretching well beyond what was frankly a somewhat generic playbook in the early days.  Their latest collection, the Heures du Monde, is a worldtimer that further reinforces that idea. This is a tribute, of sorts, to the work of Louis Cottier, the Swiss watchmaker who effectively invented the modern worldtimer, creating movements for Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and others. His worldtimers are of course highly sought after by high end vintage collectors not just for their aesthetic beauty, but their historical significance. The principle behind Cottier’s movements, that the wearer should see the time in every timezone at once, at a glance, via rotating time zone and 24 hour scales, has become the predominant method for executing worldtime watches and is considered the standard in the watch industry.  For the Heures du Monde, Baltic has modified a Soprod C125 caliber by removing the date and replacing the GMT hand usually found with that movement w...

This Dual Time Dress Watch Runs Two Quartz Movements Side by Side

The Dennison ALD Dual Time Shades pairs two independent quartz movements and two brushed dials in one 37mm case, starting at $740.

Introducing – The Time-Only Singer Caballero Titanium Collection

Singer Reimagined, founded in 2017, is a Geneva-based watchmaking brand born from the collaboration between Rob Dickinson, founder of Singer Vehicle Design, known for bespoke Porsche 911 restomods, and Italian watch designer Marco Borraccino. The duo bonded over a shared passion for 1960s-70s sport chronographs and engineering excellence, leading to Singer’s motto: “Reimagined, Restored, Reborn”. […]

Celebrating The Spirit Of The 1920s With The Semicolon Anachron Jump-Hour Watch

It is safe to say that the past 12 months have been all about the renaissance of the jump-hour watch. With the Cartier Tank à Guichets, Audemars Piguet Neo Frame Jumping Hour, Christopher Ward C1 Jump Hour Mk V, Maen × Nico Leonard Jump Hour, and Louis Vuitton Tambour Convergence Pink Gold, we have seen […] Visit Celebrating The Spirit Of The 1920s With The Semicolon Anachron Jump-Hour Watch to read the full article.

Buying Guide – Slimming Things Down Part I – Five Of Today’s Best Ultra-Thin Watches

It’s often said that ultra-thin watchmaking should be considered a complication in itself, and there’s a lot of merit to that statement. Making a watch slimmer than, let’s say, a millimetre or six, seven, is a considerable challenge to overcome. Often, it demands a different philosophy as to how a watch and, even more so, […]

New releases from Credor, Krayon, Nomos and more

With Watches and Wonders happening next month, participating (big box) brands have to wait before being able to release any novelties. However, the past seven days have been extremely busy for the independents and Swatch Group brands! We have Credor debuting a new ceramic dial time-only watch, Krayon playing on the Pac Man anniversary, and … ContinuedThe post New releases from Credor, Krayon, Nomos and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Timex’s New Affordable Dress Watch Borrows Its Best Ideas from the Cartier Tank

Timex revives a 1976 archival silhouette with the Timex Lexington Reissue, a $149 affordable dress watch with clear Cartier Tank DNA.